


Seeds of Discord Part 39

by kbj1123



Series: Wonder Woman & Captain America [40]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M, One True Pairing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 06:41:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3840889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kbj1123/pseuds/kbj1123
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone or something is causing violent riots to erupt all over the U.S., and whatever it is, it wreaks havoc with both Wonder Woman's health and Bruce Banner's ability to keep his rage in check.</p>
<p>For Steve, one nightmare leads to another.  In this case, dreams and reality merge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeds of Discord Part 39

“A girl?!” Steve exclaims. It was only a glimpse of those small hands shackled to a high hook embedded into the wall, but now he understands. The asset is a young woman. Judging by her silence, she’s a woman who is out cold. Something about her is familiar even though he has only caught a glimpse of her hands and the wide silver bracelets on her forearms. “You just sink lower and lower,” he accuses. He squats and prepares to launch himself at and past Red Skull. “What the hell, Rogers?” He freezes. It isn’t Bucky’s voice and a second ago, Bucky was his last standing ally. The voice he just heard doesn’t belong in this setting. It belongs…not just somewhere else, but also…later. It belongs in Nebraska where there was just a big riot near Omaha. It’s Howard Stark’s voice. No. It’s Tony’s voice. What the hell indeed? In the split second after this moment of hesitation, he worries, “Why didn’t Red Skull go in for the kill while I was distracted?”

Instead, Red Skull’s grin widens. He makes a high-pitched sound that causes Steve’s hair to stand on end. He’s pretty sure the sound is supposed to be laughter. “Why it’s Mr. Stark and The Mighty Thor! I’ve been expecting you! Welcome to Captain Roger’s nightmare. Don’t get comfortable.” 

Steve pivots around. Indeed, two of his SHIELD colleagues are standing next to the lab table where Bucky had just been. Doctor Zola stands handcuffed to it. Zola’s smile is less amused looking than that of Red Skull. It’s stiff and smug, and his blue eyes are devoid of expression. “What’s going on here?” Steve points his pistol toward him. 

Zola frowns. “If you kill me, which I know you won’t, you’ll never have your answers, dear boy.” The voice is exactly the same as Red Skull’s as if Red Skull were talking through Zola. When he locks eyes with Zola, Steve feels dizzy. 

For a moment, everything stops and he wonders if he is in a fugue state. He remembers boarding the SHIELD military personnel carrier in Omaha. The riots were worse than ever: utter chaos, except there was no end game, and there were no apparent sides. The combination of drought plus the high temperature in Omaha this early in the spring had surprised him. Waves of humanity furiously pounded, kicked and sometimes stabbed or shot at each other. They'd fought a battle with no clear enemy. Hurting civilians was never a good option…and it was so hot. When they got back to the plane, all any of them wanted to do was collapse into their uncomfortable seats and sleep. He remembers the clang of his shield startling him awake when it fell from the overhead shelf. 

Just as quickly, he's back in the past. Dry heat explodes from inside Steve’s head, searing his eyes from deep behind their sockets. He drops to his knees, letting his weapon fall to the cement floor. He presses his gloved hands into his face. His muscles go limp. “What’d you do to me?” he demands into his palms. His words slur. Everything happens at once after that. What sounds like dozens of jackboots clamor down the basement stairs and echo through the cavernous room. Tony’s repulsor blasts seem to ricochet from the walls. Steve senses their blinding light even through his covered eyes. He forces himself up and spins unsteadily on his heel. With the momentum he gains from this movement, he charges Red Skull, getting close enough to ram his fist into his jugular. 

Red Skull *should* at least stagger back from the impact, but instead he stands there with that enraging grin. Taking advantage of Steve’s confusion, Red Skull steps forward and presses his ungloved fingers to Steve’s temples and brow. Steve staggers sideways, overcome with vertigo. Around him, people and objects crash to the floor. Then he crumbles to the ground as well. He feels strong arms, Red Skull’s, scoop him from behind at the armpits and drag him across the room. 

The heat in his head radiates down his torso. “The mission,” he murmurs. "Got to save Bucky. Got to save that girl. C’mon Captain Rogers, get up and lead the troops.” Why is nothing working against his enemy? Was it something Zola concocted that’s making Red Skull invulnerable? “Where’s Zola?” he demands as Red Skull drags him. The question comes out as a hoarse whisper. He feels the impact of something dense hitting just above him. It’s enough to stir him out of his stupor as Thor’s hammer knocks Red Skull to the ground. 

Still shaken, Steve pauses to get his bearings amidst the violence and chaos in this basement. Where ARE they? What year is this? How does he know these strangely dressed men, again? He scoops up his shield and leaps to his feet. Shield. SHIELD. Right. Then why are they somewhere in Europe during the War? He hurls himself shield-first toward Red Skull just as Red Skull shakes off the concussive effects of Mjolnir to the right temple. The impact of Steve’s weight and strength at close range discharges from the light metal against Red Skull’s face. Steve’s hand, arm and torso vibrate and go numb for a moment. 

When Steve lifts his shield from its target, Red Skull is not himself anymore. He is a handsome, dark-haired man wearing the kind of tunic he’s seen on Ancient Greek statues in museum exhibits. In fact, this man is the only enemy in the room. It is quiet. The Nazi troops and Doctor Zola have vanished. He crouches over the unconscious man and then looks up at his equally confused companions. “There was a mission,” Steve begins to explain. “We had to retrieve an asset that could decide the War. I think it might’ve been a person… a girl. Red Skull…” he trails off and peers down at his prisoner The man is not on the floor anymore. 

Tony clears his throat. “Cap?” Thor steps forward and offers his hand to Steve. Back on his feet, he turns his gaze to the far corner of the basement where the young woman had been. She isn’t there anymore, but the man in the tunic leans casually against the open cell door. “You again,” he growls at Phanes. Phanes nods and gives a slight bow. “We wanted your journey to be if not pleasant, then at least familiar. I do hope I got all the details right. Eris and Nyx, my mother, were very specific.” Steve, Thor and Tony charge toward the god. Phanes spins on his heels and runs into the empty cell. The three men rush the cell. At the point where they brace themselves to blast through the metal bars, the world spins. Again, Steve experiences vertigo. For just a moment, the ground whips itself upside-down and sideways. They stumble onto wet sand. The sky is gray. All around them is beach and ocean. There is no breeze. In the far distance are the ruins of a temple.


End file.
